days of this bracket, I’ll be diving deep on all things Four Roses barrel strength single barrel. OESV - Delicate fruit and caramel OESK - Baking spice OESO - Rich fruit and vanilla OESQ - Delicate grains Liquors OBSK aged 9 years, 10 months in warehouse QN, barrel 10-2H; 109.8 proof & selected by: Grape & Grain Plum pie swings in with a good bit of cinnamon spice that tingles in the chest. Cooling mint mixes with lemon zest and Earl gray tea.

Back in May of 2022 we had the great pleasure of visiting Starlight Distillery as part of a collaboration between the group that @bourbondipity_ and I run for our local community in Massachusetts called Mass Bourbon Alliance. We collaborated with a great local store that is expanding and thriving here in MA: Liquor Junction. We went in with low/no expectations and left amazed with 4 barrels - the first barrels to ever hit MA! I'll drop a synopsis of each here, but wouldn't feel comfortable honestly reviewing these without some level of bias being at play, so I won't be attaching a score to these. I hope you find the notes helpful! "Mass #1 - Sweet Tart" Starlight Bourbon Barrel No. 18-0247 114.4 Proof - Aged 4 Years This is one of their flagship bourbons that will certainly satisfy your sweet tooth. We picked this one for its rich candied fruit, vanilla and baking spice profile coming from a great Spirit Premium barrel by Canton cooperage. The unfinished bourbons have seriously been growing on me lately. I have a bottle from Liquor Depot in CT that I was incredibly impressed by as well. Our barrel definitely brings a bit more fruit complexity to an already delicious, viscous, oily, rich mouth coating whiskey. Nose: Goodness that's delectable - prominent vanilla, tiramisu, cherry syrup and rich chocolate present bold & complete. Continuously soft and delectable to inhale throughout the glass, it finishes with notes of crème brûlée and woodshop aromas. Palate: Big bready tones flash up first followed by that signature fruity sweet tart profile. I find cherry skins, plum and thick raspberry jam. It's oily, jammy and altogether a crushable explosion of rich flavors. Another sip produces more pot still oily tones as well as buttercream frosting and rich oak. The linger is thoroughly satisfying with flavors of strawberries and crêpes. My last sip is just as delicious as the first with a trove of fruit notes bombarding the palate. This glass is sweet beyond measure without becoming cloying. Yum. "Starry Night" Starlight Double Oaked Bourbon Batch 22-2080-1 112.6 Proof - Aged 4.5 Years This double oaked bourbon whiskey was an absolute must-have for Derek who frequently reminded the pick team that the 2nd half of this sip truly has 'something special' He's so damn right too! It comes from a Spirit Legacy by Canton cooperage featuring 5 year American staves with 4 year Hungarian heads. The barrel was air seasoned 60 months. We tasted a lot of things this day, but this one clearly stood out with the other Canton barrels, producing marvelous toasted vanilla notes. Sip this one while you relax to some Don McLean. Nose: Banana foster jumps out on the nose followed by rich toasted marshmallow. Plenty of charred oak aromas are here as well giving this the illusion of age beyond its statement. It's creamy in the nose which is definite treat. The end of the glass smells of molasses, troves of oak, and Pillsbury dinner rolls. Palate: Punchier than the straight bourbon - this release throws orange peel, plum, apricot and hefty molasses at the palate with both elegance and vigor. The linger is impossibly long and full of confectioners sugar, caramel, dark chocolate and wave after wave of sweet amaretto. My last sip is loaded with beautiful coffee bean flavors that shimmer long into a creamy delight. "Lakeside" Starlight VDN Finished Rye Barrel No. 21-2298-2 106.2 Proof - Aged 4.5 Years One sip of this and you will know what the name means! This VDN (Vino de Naranja) finished rye brings just a squeeze of that orange wine to the table, building on a lovely sweet mash rye that has no equal. This zesty citrus forward rye is what all Summer whiskeys try to be - refreshing, bright and deliciously sweet. It reminds me a lot of the kind of profile that Willett rye blends give off. Given how distinct & unique this barrel finish is - this may not be a crowd pleaser, but it is unforgettable to the whiskey curious. Get this one on hand for the best enjoyment you'll find this Summer! Nose: Fruity florals burst out of this glass. Lemon tea and orange sherbet merge wonderfully. Cardamom, pine boughs, dusty oak and clay give this great depth. Chocolate undertones complete the well layered nose. Palate: Oh. My. Goodness! If you thought the Sweet Tart bourbon was sweet - this is an orange creamsicle embodied perfectly. It's sweet like a big bite of a juicy orange plus it has the vanilla forward profile that provides a creamy blanket over everything. The undertones are fun with herbal and floral subtleties that most will miss but aficionados will rejoice in. Lindt Intense Orange chocolate bars produce rather proofy, but it's a welcome zest. Marbled rye bread sits in the medium linger. My last sip is fruity with a few late surprises of sweet skittles. "Fireside" Starlight Port Finished Rye Barrel No. 21-2126-3 This one is a dreamy sister barrel to Lakeside, but it would serve best enjoyed in the opposite season. A port finished wine has been done a few times by now, but not all are created equal. The port wine cask used and the final product are often really dependent on the quality of the wine. We're well covered here as the Hubers actually started in wine before whiskey, so they have an incredible supply of plenty of great casks. If you're bummed about not being able to find A Midwinter Night's Dram bottle, or just want to sip on a similar profile for a good bit cheaper - this bottle is for you. The beautiful port sweetness adds just enough to an already exceptional rye without going overboard into the tannic wine territory. You'll love this as your new snow shoveling whiskey for any blustery Winter month. Nose: My my, the sheer volume of chocolate and sweet port aromas is mind bending. Plum and rich, dark grape aromas fill my nose with the warmth of a warm mulled wine. Fig, amaretto and rich raspberry aromas really push this into the exceptional category. It smells just like some of the best Midwinter Night's Dram releases I've tried. The volume somehow surpasses the 11 setting that the double oaked release achieved, and I'm left dumbfounded in fruit heaven. This glass is incredibly consistent, and I find it doesn't slouch, amplify nor undulate. It's just solid straight through and has shown no signs of being affected by oxidation on my way through the bottle. The empty glass smells of chocolate covered raisins and beautiful plum pudding. Palate: Creamy tiramisu hits first with beautiful espresso soaked ladyfingers. This creamy punch is followed by beautiful coffee bean flavors mixed with subtle fruit tones. This glass is a touch bready, but in a way that reminds me of Pirouline wafers. As the snow falls outside my window, I find this to be the perfect glass for today, though I know holistically - having tried this release many times now - that it falls just behind my general personal preference towards the unfinished bourbon. My last sip is like a carnival ferris wheel - a solid experience from start to finish with grandiose views without any real inherent risk. Any sip produces about as much happiness as your first kiss when you think nobody can see you at the top of the ride... In two words: Just. Delicious. My last sip is like a milky way with pure class, delicious creaminess and a finish that keeps you wishing for more. Just fantastic. Rating: Two Thumbs Way Up In an effort to continuously bring Amongst the Whiskey readers honest reviews, I don't feel comfortable doing numerical ratings on picks I was involved with. For further clarity - I don't get anything (except for great experiences) as part of my involvement with picking barrels with this store. My normal rating scale can be found here. My Personal Ranking: Sweet Tart > Fireside = Lakeside > Starry Night (Straight Bourbon > Port Finished Rye = VDN Finished Rye > Double Oaked Bourbon) Starlight Distillery is making some of the best whiskeys out there - evidenced by their latest Ascot Awards achievement, being recognized as the 2022 craft distillery of the year. Within this lineup there are no losers, though they are very different whiskeys individually. I'd urge anyone trying all 4 of these to savor them each on their own, as attempting to compare and contrast will leave you with a really wild array of flavors stuck on your palate. The double oaked in particular can be a little overpowering for the other releases & as such tends to be most people's favorite when they do try all 4 together. I think this is more of a factor of total flavor volume rather than a difference in quality personally, but everyone drinks differently. The Fireside will surely drink better if you happen to sample in the Winter and the Lakeside is a perfect Summer sipper - so those are a bit situational. If any of these releases sound like hits to you - I'd urge you to pop into any Liquor Junction store in MA and grab as many as you can carry!

Company on Label: Old Evan Williams Distillery Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 86.6° Age: 7 years Further identification: Barreled 11/21/12 in barrel no. 1484 and bottled on 9/15/20; it was put into my glass on 7/7/2021 Nose: Nice cherry forward start. Caramel with some slightly metallic spice. Sort of a copper pot kind of smell similar to an Irish whiskey presentation. Nice rye spice going on. Dry paper & vanilla. A very suppressed lemonade sweetness is really trying to escape the glass, but it's held down by the heavy salted caramel & molasses. Hmm, strange (very quick) soap note just came out, maybe an artifact of a unique mix of citrus, mint & that dry paper note from before. A few hints of chocolate throughout; like a floral, candy perfumed chocolate though. Kind of reminds me of a Valentine's day heart shaped assortment kind of smell. The final array of smells as the glass settles is both unremarkable and enjoyable. The empty glass is a thin salted caramel. Palate: Thin to start, but led by citrus & cherry. Mouth coating is sparse, but up around the gums a dry, sour molasses sticks around. Very drying with a paper and oak flavor being dominant. Hints of the citrus and mint are fleeting on the edges. The copper pot aromatics of the nose also factor into the molasses delivery. It does not have the oily/creamy texture of an actual copper pot whiskey however. Very mellow at its exceptionally low presentation proof, this is a pour many could relax to. Rating: 3/5 I think if I was really tired from a long day of exertion, this pour would be more of a hit. For my palate tonight however, I think I will use this as a hiking / camping / backpacking bring-along rather than a regular sipper.

Company on Label:  Teaninich Distillery Whiskey Type:  Single Malt Scotch Whisky Mash Bill Percentages specially selected by Malt Distillery Managers within GuinnessUDV and bottled at natural strength by K Gray

The experience tasting through several barrel proof single barrels with Lexie Phillips was a delicious This single barrel coming to the @ljwhiskeyfamily barrel program is a thoroughly complex, delicious whiskey The JD single barrel program is incredible - out of the hundreds of thousands of barrels that go through The brand describes this barrel proof release well saying: From grain to barrel and straight to the bottle , our barrel proof Jack Daniel's single barrel is made for those who appreciate a pure taste experience

Keep in mind this is a single barrel product and your glass/bottle/barrel may vary from mine!

It definitely inspired me to pick up this single barrel offering.

Quite rare are the opportunities to pick a barrel of Willett Family Estate. As far as I know, this is actually the only non-distributor pick that a store was allowed to do in the great state of Massachusetts this year. Liquor Junction got the nod as one of the best liquor stores to come pick a barrel and I'm beyond thrilled that they let me come along to help taste through samples. When I later learned that my good friend Frank Dobbins, one of the best palates in whiskey, had never done a Willett pick I immediately extended the invite. It was such a pleasure getting to know him better and watching him work through our tasting. We tasted through somewhere north of a dozen barrels with Josh before settling on the sample that I said "smelled like the inside of a battleship". Hilariously, this comment was met with a "what the f%$& are you talking about?" from Josh. To my credit, he has never experienced that smell before, so the aroma-induced memory wasn't there for him. We laughed for hours, but always stayed focused on picking the best whiskey. The year prior, it was a 9 year OG mash bourbon we named "LJ Engine #9" after the legendary Roger Miller song. This year, a 10 year rye stood out so we went back in for round 2 with Roger Miller on the vintage hit Chug-a-lug. Now let's get into if this whiskey is worth your time and attention. Keep in mind that since I picked this barrel, I will not be giving it a numerical score at the end, so you'll have to read between the lines more than usual here. In general, I would only endorse a whiskey I am absolutely thrilled with as I consider my own opinion to be thoroughly honest. On with the notes! Company on Label: The Willett Distillery Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 74% Rye, 11% Corn, 15% Malted Barley Proof: 118.6° Age: 10 years Further identification: This is a barrel select that I did with @BourbYourEnthusiasm and @LiquorJunction back in April of 2023; this barrel came from Warehouse A, Floor 4, Rick 12N, and are currently available through Liquor Junction's punch program Nose: Sweet lemon frosting & gunmetal jump out at me first. Barrel funk seeps into every corner of the glass showing off its age. This is vintage style, low proof rye at its finest. Sweet caramel and low, rumbling, thick raspberry jam tones with all the seeds and bits. Aromas of leather, clay and a shoebox full of sepia-toned memories give this a consistent feeling of being vintage & old. Hints of seared shishito peppers give off great depth before the glass returns to a creamy dream. The nose on this is just divine. Late in the glass cherry juice, prune and Angostura bitters can be pulled from the depths while marshmallow barrel char tones provide a comforting backdrop. The empty glass smells of parsley, butter and raspberry. Palate: At first sip I find fits of fruit. Lemon rind, blood orange, pineapple and plum create a head-scratching incredibly unique profile for any whiskey. Another sip is incredibly zesty with more lemon peel, clove and allspice dancing on the tongue. The linger that follows is immediately creamy with soft, buttery croissant notes. A longer sip and swish reveals cinnamon raisin bread and a wide array of things tumbling out of the spice cabinet. I love how this works all around my mouth from the tangy fruit up front to the spice along the edges of the tongue and then the creamy finish from center to back. Mmm. Sipping late in the glass reveals rolling sweet tones of rum cake and grape skins. The last sip is layered and juicy with pear, pie crust, whipped cream and a cascade of nutmeg across the long finish. TL;DR: Vintage funk, creamy and sweet Rating: Crushworthy This is one of my favorite ryes in the whiskey study right now and I'm finding that this bottle is likely not long for the world. Let me know down in the comments what your experience with Willett rye has been.

Rating: 4/5 With any single barrel or individual store pick offerings, the notes and rating in this review

Whiskey Type: Finished Bourbon Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed if it's from Starlight's 3 or 4 grain

Rating: 3/5 With any single barrel or individual store pick offerings, the notes and rating in this review

Company on Label:   Glen Elgin  Distillery Whiskey Type:  Single Malt Scotch Whisky Mash Bill Percentages